'American Night' At Yale Rep: Dreaming The American Dream

Rene Millan and Nicole Shalhoub in a scene from "American Night: The Ballad of Juan Jose"

Rene Millan and Nicole Shalhoub in a scene from "American Night: The Ballad of Juan Jose" (T. Charles Erickson)

FRANK RIZZO, rizzo@courant.comHartford Courant

The show:Yale Repertory Theatre production of “American Night: The Ballad of Juan José”First impressions:Richard Montoya’s wild vaudevillian mash-up, developed by the Chicano/Latino performance theater group Culture Clash and director Jo Bonney, has a strong point of view of America’s checkered history. It centers on a Mexican immigrant Juan José and his fevered dream on the eve of his exam for U.S. citizenship.In this new production, which was performed in Oregon, San Diego and L.A., the show sometimes dazzles, but the satiric material is uneven with some bits scoring big while others are trite and tired. The themes and messages might not break new ground, but this crazy convergence of leading and forgotten historic figures has spirit and plenty of political sucker punches — which this blue-state audience ate up.Sounds pretty lefty: Well, it is political theater from a socially committed theater troupe. But in this vivid and vibrant production the attitudes are more engaging than the platitudes of the script.Meaning…?: The fun is in the watching the bright and fluid staging of Shana Cooper and the talented cast who — with the exception of titular character played with appealing sensitivity by René Millán — perform multiple roles, some significant, some acting more as “Laugh-In”-style cameos .The show opens impressively on Kristen Robinson’s versatile and witty set, dynamically supplemented by Paul Lieber’s projections. Juan José, a young, uncorrupted policeman, is first seen walking, walking, walking from his drug cartel-controlled existence to what he sees as a safe haven in the U.S. where he can later bring his wife and new child. As he “crosses the line” to his new-found freedom-land, he sings his sweet ballad as he walks into “the American night with my American desire.”But his idea of America as he anxiously crams for his citizenship test — aided by two Mormon elders who have motives of their own — is off-set by a parallel history that invades his American dream, quite literally.In his loopy sleep scape he grapples with those whose full stories have been left out of the history books, beginning with the figures in the 1848 signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (which turned a vast amount of Mexican-inhabited land into U.S. territory). Along the way he sees America from the different perspectives: from 15- year-old Sacagawea, to Viola Pettus, a black nurse tending all who are ill in west Texas during the Spanish Influenza in 1918, to a resident at the Manzanar Japanese internment camp, to union organizer Harry Bridges, just to name a few. The two histories converge in a free-for-all “town meeting” that includes a Tea Party zealot, Arizona sheriff Joe Arpiao, Jesus and Bob Dylan. Neil Diamond ends the dream — and the show — with a celebratory and more fully realized “Coming to America” as Juan José accepts his new country’s imperfect union.For the most part, there’s little ambiguity. The show’s characters are more symbols than people and its points are made with the nuance of a sledgehammer. But hey, this is an allegory and a morality play and political theater, not “Angels in America” or even “The Colored Museum.”Stiil, even after multiple productions, the show’s text could be sharper. Some of the lines are corny clunkers (“No way, José,” “Talk softly and carry a big schtick”) while the mentioning of au courant figures such as Mitt Romney and Rachel Maddow comes across as name-dropping for an easy and unearned payoff.Who will like it?: Fans of political theater, those with a liberal inclination, the disenfranchised.Who won’t?: The 1 per cent. Those hoping for a show with more sophisticated satirical bite.For the kids?: Teens will connect with show’s fast-paced energy, inventiveness and sometimes dopey humor. They will also get a historic perspective they may have missed in school. Twitter review in 140 characters or less: Look at 200 years of American history from a different point of view is lively, loopy if somewhat unsurprising.Thoughts on leaving the parking lot?: The line that got the biggest laugh of the night was a throwaway that referred to student labor, a playful dig at the production’s hosts. Harry Bridges would have loved it.The basics: Presented at the University Theatre, 222 York St., New Haven. The production runs through Oct. 13. Running time is 1 hour and 40 minutes with no intermission. Tickets are $20 to $96. Information: 203-432-1234 and www.yalerep.org.